Products we've bought, used, and kept in our kitchen.
Affiliate disclosure: Amazon links may earn us a small commission at no extra cost to you. Direct brand links are currently non-affiliate. Commissions do not determine our picks.
The 100-calorie iced protein coffee build — dairy base, instant coffee, sweetener, done.
Fairlife
Fat-Free Ultra-Filtered Milk
PURCHASED OURSUSED 2+ YEARSADULTS PRIMARILY
The dairy base for the 100-Calorie Iced Protein Coffee. Per cup on the label: 13 g protein and 90 calories. Ultra-filtered means it holds body in cold coffee instead of watering out.
Best for: Iced proffee and any drink where you want dairy body without added fat.
What to know: Fat-free reads thinner than 2% — noticeable if you go back and forth. Some people don't tolerate ultra-filtered milk perfectly despite the reduced lactose.
Instant beats brewed in iced proffee because it doesn't water down when it hits ice. 1 heaped tsp of Nescafé Gold per drink is our ratio.
Best for: Iced proffee. Not for a slow morning brewed cup.
What to know: Flavor won't match a fresh brewed cup — that's the trade for the no-water-down behavior. Nescafé Gold reads darker than some other instants; if you prefer lighter, test a smaller jar first.
The protein spine of the CCC base and Proffee. We use OpportuniTeas unflavored isolate so it doesn't fight the recipe's flavor. Per scoop on the label: ~25 g protein.
Best for: Adding protein to the Creami base and iced proffee without changing the drink or dessert flavor.
What to know: Unflavored isn't tasteless — there's still a light dairy note that comes through in delicate flavors. Isolate costs more per pound than concentrate.
1 pump of Skinny Syrups per proffee — the flavor unlock that keeps the drink at 100 calories. Vanilla is our daily flavor; salted caramel is the rim + drizzle on the Salted Caramel Pretzel Proffee. Caramel + hazelnut rotate in.
Best for: Sweetening iced proffee without adding sugar. Salted caramel doubles as a glass-rim coating for the pretzel-rim proffee.
What to know: Sucralose-based — some people pick up an aftertaste, especially at more than 1 pump. Bottle lasts a couple of months of daily proffee for one person.
Concentrated water-based caramel flavoring — 1/2 tsp adds buttery caramel depth to the Salted Caramel Pretzel Proffee at zero calories. Bakery emulsions are the pastry-industry standard for concentrated flavor without sweetness, so you can dial caramel flavor independently of sugar.
Best for: The Salted Caramel Pretzel Proffee concentrate. Cross-utility for any protein baking recipe that needs caramel flavor without added sugar (protein donuts, glazes, Creami bases).
What to know: Potent — 1/2 tsp is the ceiling in a proffee. More reads chemical, not buttery. Water-based, not oil-based, so it plays in cold drinks. One 4 oz bottle lasts months of proffee use.
